For this guide, we’re going to assume that you have a quick-release chuck that doesn’t require a tool to fasten the drill bit into place.
You’ll find that these types of drills only accept certain shaped drill bits, so what are these, and how do they fit in and out of your power drill?
Also, do you need to make any significant modifications to your drill if you want to do more heavy-duty work, such as drilling a pilot hole?
In this guide, we’ll outline how the different screwdriver bits fit into your drill’s chuck and how you can do so safely and effectively, including how to pry your chuck open to change drill bits for drilling a different material like wood or a metal sign.
Read on to learn how you can make your drilling projects easier and save yourself time in the process.
How Does A Quick Release Chuck Work?
To understand how a drill bit works, we first need to look at how a release chuck on a power drill functions.
A quick release or a quick change chuck has a magnet in its base that connects with the drill bits shank and has 2 metal ball bearings inside, which engage with the sides of a bit to hold it in place, so you don't have to search around for ages to find the point at which a new bit will tighten into the right point.
Some of these sleeves allow you to simply push back the outer sleeve to remove the bit, and some require you to loosen the chuck on the outside in a counter clockwise direction to loosen the teeth that secure the bit in place.
The great thing about these types of drills, when compared to a twist drill or impact driver is that the magnetic balls inside can firmly hold the drill bit in place after you insert it, by the power grooves that are worked into it, but despite its name, it can take slightly longer to change between drill bits in the tool, especially if your drill uses a chuck that has teeth rather than magnets like most twist drill devices.
You might find that your power drill doesn’t have the power to drill holes, pilot holes, or screws into more rigid materials, so you might have to opt for a cordless impact driver, which is more powerful and mainly uses the magnetic system discussed above, and is great for drilling a hole.
You might also find with some drills the ability to change the speed setting to match the amount of power you need to get a job done, such as if you were drilling into drywall, for example.
These drills make it easy to change drill bits and swap bits to achieve different things like tightening certain screws into a specific hole or to pull off certain jobs, and changing from surface to surface depending on which drill bit is attached, and the diameter of the screw that is drilling into a hole or a number of holes.
What Different Types Of Drill Bits Can It Accept?
Most quick-release chucks have a hexagonal-shaped slot, so you can only use these types of drill bit when it comes to inserting a new bit into the tool, and the standard sizes you have with these types of chuck are ¼ inch and ⅜ inch, which in millimeters is 6.35mm and 10mm, respectively.
Luckily, there are power bits that have been designed to be used in these types of mechanisms as they are worked in a way that allows them to simply click into place and interact with the magnets inside of the chuck.
Another interesting feature is a hex shank drill bit extension that comes in non-magnetic designs that have a built-in stability lock that has more of a spring design that you just push to release.
If you’re going for a spring function chuck, you want to take care when switching drill bits, as releasing them with too much pressure can cause bits to shoot out quickly, which could cause injury if caution isn’t used.
You can also get longer extension pieces for your bits if you find a screw or a hole you want to make in a hard-to-reach area.
When looking at these extensions, make sure the size matches the size capacity of your chuck, and your drill bits aren’t too tight or loose in the extension bit, so a versatile bit can really come in handy.
You want to make sure that the material you are using nor the bit would break at a higher speed, or when your press it forward.
Breaking a drill bit can be very inconvenient, as you will have to awkwardly twist it out of position within the clamp otherwise it can become stuck!
How To Insert And Remove A Drill Bit
With a magnetic drill bit, all you need to do is place the drill bit inside, and you’re all set, but to test the fit, you might want to turn the drill on a lower power setting to ensure there’s no wobble.
Taking it out is as simple as applying moderate pressure to the shaft to ensure the drill bit is released cleanly.
For chucks with teeth, you want to turn the chuck counterclockwise until the drill bit comes loose, so to insert a bit, you want to hold the drill straight and keep your fingers on the drill bit and tighten until the bit is secured in place and attached in a way in which you cannot easily wrench it out while being drilled.
You should also turn on the drill and test it to ensure the drill bit is secure and straight, which can be an issue that occurs more often with smaller bits that might need more hold to keep it in place.
For holes larger than average, it is also important to twist drill bits so that they are properly aligned.
Once you do this, you can switch your bits as you need them, and if you find there is some resistance to your chuck when turning the chuck, make sure to check the mechanism and clear any debris that obscures the chuck from working effectively.
Tips To Make Your Drilling More Effective
Keep Your Power Drill Maintained
Make sure you keep your drill in a secure and dry place to avoid any moisture or dirt getting into the drill, which can affect and ruin the performance of the drill.
Part of this is to make sure that your drill is working correctly, and you should never use it if you think it’s damaged or broken to avoid ruining your job or causing harm to yourself or damaging the chuck.
If you find any specific issues with your drill, you can consult the instruction manual that may offer you a solution or a number for someone to contact who can provide specialist knowledge.
Use Torque Control If You Have It
If your drill allows it, you can pre-set a maximum level of torque that you can adjust with the torque control ring that’s usually found near the chuck of your drill.
With this, you can control the level at which the screw enters the material, which is helpful for creating holes in wood and other softer materials and gives you more control of the drill.
To get a more effective torque control, consult with your user guide, which can help you control the speed, by using the chuck.
Keep An Eye On Your Drill Bits
As convenient as these quick-release drill bits are, you should ensure that there aren’t any chips and marks which will make your jobs a bit more difficult when using power tools like drill presses in DIY projects, as this issue is more likely to occur with bits that are being constantly used and can show signs of wear after a while.
One problem that could occur is that you could ruin the screw head by stripping them, making them really difficult to remove, which is going to take up a big chunk of your time.
You can avoid this issue by watching the amount of pressure you use on the drill and using the right size of bit for the screws that you’re using when driving screws. Your best bet is to press only just enough to create a perfect location to add the screw at the point you want.
Conclusion
With this, you can get jobs done much quicker and pull any project to fruition, so doing jobs that use a lot of screws to create a lot of holes in materials like metal and wood sounds like a frustrating task, but you can manage your drill bit so you can have a finished job that you can be proud of.
Thank you for reading, and we hope that you now understand how to drill better holes while drilling, and how to do it in different materials like wood, metal, and even how best to pull it off, including your speed, your angle, and the point you are drilling into.